I opted for the same physical therapy clinic the neighbor who recommended the Dr. had also used. The woman who set me up was so nice and friendly over the phone, GREAT VIBE. I showed up to my first appointment in the locked brace and cropped leggings, though my therapist immediately had me change into loose basketball shorts for the evaluation. I relayed the sequence of events that brought me into their fine establishment, and she took some measurements, most notably the angle of flexion on both legs. She then followed with manual therapy; but what I remember most about prehab is towards the end where she had me stand up and walk without the brace. I did, but had to steady myself, and she said, “No, like walk with one foot in front of the other.” My body and brain had adapted within the span of two weeks that I was subconsciously dragging my feet.

I knew after surgery I would be pretty immobile, and I could feel myself starting to lose the little muscle I had gained. I was allowed to swim, but only if I used a buoy-no kicking. Since we were still in Covid and the gyms and pools were closed, I had to get resourceful. I went on the Swimply app, which lets you rent a person’s backyard/pool for parties and hangouts, and found a decently priced option. There truly is an app for everything. Technology for the Win again.

I was able to negotiate a package deal with the homeowner since I was there to purely exercise. He was also extremely gracious with scheduling and I squeezed in 9 pool sessions a month ahead of my operation. I’ve learned if you’re upfront and authentic, people are very willing to accommodate!

After a few more PT sessions of electrical stimulation (see cover photo) and strength training, I was able to walk without the brace completely, though I still had a slight limp. Even though I had done further research, I showed up to my follow up Dr. appointment very nervous and anxious. I had a list of questions and we went through them. We were going to try and do the repair–I was still apprehensive as my 2^nd opinion Dr. had recommended against the repair procedure (see What is ACL Repair article), but I liked that it was less invasive. If reconstruction was required, we were going to do the allograft as he had previously recommended. Either way, I was happy to keep my body parts where they should be.

Lastly, we locked down a date 😬 . He wanted me to keep up with PT 2-3x per week, until the operation, but due to insurance limits I only went once to save the bulk for post-surgery. The next time I would see him was in the operating room…

CHIROPRACTOR

Especially when I was in crutches, my right ankle took a real beating. Though I was taught how to use crutches in Colorado, when I came back and had to deal with stairs, it was a disaster at first. I was hopping up and putting a lot of impact on that side. I had a chiropractor that I’d seen when I sprained my right ankle years ago, so I went in to get myself completely sorted out.

She massaged out the right calf, worked on my hips, and I was pain free walking after! It’s the little things in life, amirite? The most important takeaway though was in our conversation. I told her how I didn’t know the exact plan, it was all based off my surgeon’s judgment, as he had said, an interoperative decision. It’s such an exercise in releasing control when you’re going to be unconscious in an operating room. She advised that I should trust him, making these judgment calls was what he did all day, AND that I wouldn’t want him to stick to the plan regardless of what he finds when he goes in. Her words made so much sense and really lifted a weight off my shoulders. I had confidence that he would do whatever was in my best interest. 

PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN

I hadn’t been to the doctor in over a year, mostly due to Covid. After speaking with my surgeon’s office, I decided to go see my PCP for a physical/pre-op clearance. The purpose was mainly to rule out any underlying or preexisting conditions, especially since I was going to be under anesthesia. I was able to squeeze it in last minute and we went through all the standard blood tests, although she did do a pregnancy test as well. A quick Google search shows that sedation could affect the fetus(?). She also advised to stop taking all supplements immediately.

I had read in some articles that nail polish was not allowed in the OR, but while the hospital surgery booklet said no make-up or lotion, it didn’t explicitly call out nail polish. My PCP recommended removing all of it completely, which was a disappointment. I had wanted to get some cute nail art done, at least on my toes, before the operation. If you’re going to be bed-ridden for a week staring at your feet, they might as well be cute! However, if you were to lose oxygen in the OR, I read that your nails are the first to change color, so they need to be able to see their true color.

In the blood work, an underlying condition had returned, but I was still cleared for surgery. I’m glad I went to get checked out, so everyone was aware of my current health status, myself included.

CONCLUSION

1. Your body adapts really quickly! I’ve been told your muscles start to atrophy within 3 days, so with any extended swelling or immobility, it will take your body time to adjust back to normal. This is also probably why it’s very important to manage swelling
2. Google is your friend. I should have Googled how to use crutches on stairs, instead of just winging it. I thought since I had been somewhat taught how to use them, I was good. My right ankle was banged up pretty bad, to the point where I had to elevate and ice
3. Get your yearly physical! I missed my physical in 2020 and wasn’t exercising as much or eating as healthy. Your health can change within a year!